Woods lurking
Four-time Masters winner Tiger Woods never made a move up the leaderboard Thursday, but in a tie for 24th at 71, he’s poised to make a move in Friday’s second round or the weekend if he can create some momentum.
Woods tied for fourth at Augusta last year upon ending his more than four-month break from the game following an infidelity scandal, and that matched his to match his best finish in 2010.
A tie for 10th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship four weeks ago is Woods’ only top-10 in five combined PGA Tour and European Tour event this year.
Woods made two consecutive bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes to fall to 1 over and was in danger of making a third straight at the par-3 12th, but he managed to make a lengthy putt for par, then birdied the par-5 13th and holed a bomb on the 14th for birdie to reach 1 under.
“Fourteen was nice, 12 was even better because I had just bogeyed 10 and 11 and so it was nice to get things going,” Woods said. “Overall I felt pretty good over all the putts and realistically the round should have been 68 or 69.
“I’m right there in the ballgame. I’m only six back and we have a lot of golf left.”
Money game, anyone?
Masters first round co-leader Rory McIlroy got his game in shape for the tournament with a week’s worth of work with instructor Michael Bannon in Florida.
A match or two with CCU alum and former Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson and friends at the Bear’s Club, which is in Johnson’s new neighborhood, was part of the preparation as well.
“I played with Dustin and Luke [Donald] a couple of days at the Bear's Club, and Camilo [Villegas]. Had a couple of competitive games and just tried to get my game in shape.”
Disturbing the peace
During his time in the states, McIlroy, a Northern Irishman, has taken a liking to football as we know it and the National Football League.
His agent, Chubby Chandler, said McIlroy has played some rugby so he knows a little about the contact and the ball. He and a few buddies bought a football at a mall and were tossing it around in the street around 9 p.m. Wednesday night.
“I was actually told off by the lady living across the street,” McIlroy said. “We were making a bit too much noise. Had to cut it short.”
